FMA IA-58 Pucará

The FMA IA-58 Pucará is an Argentine-designed, twin-turboprop counter-insurgency (COIN) and ground-attack aircraft developed in the late 1960s by Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA). Designed for rugged, short-strip operations, it first flew in 1969, entered service in 1975, and saw active combat in the 1982 Falklands War and against guerrillas. 
 
Key Historical Aspects:
Design & Purpose: Known as a "fortress" (Quechua), the IA-58 was built for low-intensity conflict, featuring heavy armor, tandem seating, two 20 mm cannons, four 7.62 mm machine guns, and a 1,620 kg payload.
Falklands War (1982): 24 Pucarás were deployed to the Falklands, operating from Port Stanley and Goose Green. They faced significant losses (15+ destroyed or captured). Despite being outmatched, they were credited with the Argentine Air Force's only air-to-air kill of the war (a Royal Marines Scout helicopter).
International Service: The Pucará was exported to the Uruguayan Air Force, Sri Lanka (used in civil war), and Colombia.
Production & Retirement: 110 units were produced between 1974 and 1993. The Argentine Air Force officially retired the type from its primary COIN role in 2019.
Modernization: A modernized version, the Pucará Fenix, was developed for border surveillance, featuring upgraded engines and propellers. 
 
The aircraft is renowned for its durability and capability to operate from unprepared surfaces.